In Love And War
by Fraxinus Excelsior
Summary: A highly skilled LARPer joins a multi-species group, and meets a certain centaur at his first tournament with them. After fighting side-by-side and saving each other from their enemies, attraction is unavoidable. But when tension is high and danger is all around, will they act on it? Centorea x OC, rated M for future smut and some language.
1. The Tournament

"And that's you down for the count," I say with a cocky grin. The point of my foam sword rests just above my foe's collarbone, inches away from his neck. While blows to the neck or face are illegal, threatening those areas is a victory, like checkmate in a game of chess.

The man on the ground in front of me chuckles, reaching up and brushing the foam weapon away. I take his hand and help him to his feet.

"Damn, you're good," he says, clapping me on the shoulder. "You've always had a knack for it, but in the year I've been gone you've really become something else entirely."

"You flatter me," I say, resting my weapon of choice on my shoulder. "I've just had a lot of practice." We turn and start walking towards our audience to a scattering of applause. "Speaking of which," I add, "I've been invited to join a mixed-species league."

His eyes widen. "Wow, seriously? Aren't those only for the very best fighters? Extra-species types usually make mincemeat out of ordinary humans, even at play-fighting."

I shrug. "I guess they figured I was good enough."

As we approach the tent, Maxwell, the leader of our little group, steps toward us. "Greg, nice form as always, but you need to work on your defense," he says, and the man next to me dips his head. Then Max turns to me. "Sebastian, you are without a doubt the best of us. But even so, are you going to be okay taking on extra-species fighters? I've heard it can be quite dangerous."

I wave the question aside. "Don't worry about me, Max. You know I love a challenge."

He smiles ruefully. "Believe me, I know. And I'm sorry to say that one-on-one bouts here haven't been giving it to you recently. You must tell me how you got so skilled some day."

"You people really need to stop, or it's going to go to my head," I say, shaking my head in amusement. Holding out a hand, I add "It's been an honor, Max. I look forward to regaling you with stories of my time at this new league."

He grips my hand. "And I look forward to hearing them. Take care of yourself, Seb."

~~o~~

I pull into an empty spot in the big gravel parking lot, putting my little sporty coupe in park and killing the engine. I look around as I get out, surveying the territory; an open plain in front of me, flanked on all sides by woodland that leads up into rolling hills. Probably lots of good places to hide in the forest, and the plain for pitched battles... not a bad setup at all.

I move to the trunk and get my gear. First come the weapons - a hand-and-a-half sword, light enough to be maneuverable but with more reach than a standard longsword; and a heater shield, for a balance between the offense of a buckler and the defense of a tower.

The sword goes in a hoop at my belt, the shield hangs from a strap across my back. Then comes my tent and a bag of camping supplies; food, water bottles, a change of socks and underwear, a flashlight, that kind of thing.

Satisfied that I have everything, I close the trunk and head onto the field. I can see a decent-sized crowd gathering already, probably around two dozen. There are very few humans - I count two, aside from me - with the majority of the crowd made up of extra-species fighters. I pick out centaurs, minotaurs, kitsune, lizardfolk and lamias, among others I don't immediately recognize or know the names for.

As I near the group, a lamia spots me and waves me over. "And you must be Sebastian! With you, we're all here now!"

I smile sheepishly. "Sorry, am I late?"

The lamia shakes her head vigorously. "Nope! You're just in time." She holds out a hand. "Nara."

I clasp the proferred hand. "You seem to already know who I am."

She smiles. "Of course, dummy. You were personally invited, weren't you? It's rare for a human to be invited to be part of a group like this. You must be good."

I shrug. "So I'm told."

Someone claps their hands, and I look over to see a lizardman who I guess to be the coordinator of the group. "Okay, everyone," he says, smiling around at the assembled crowd. "Time to split off into teams!"

The process doesn't take very long. Four team captains are chosen by the coordinator, and each one takes turns picking fighters to join. I'm picked dead last, but I'm not really surprised since I'm both the new face and a human.

Walking over to the rest of my team - Crimson Lance - I give my newfound allies a once-over. There's the team captain, a centaur with long blonde hair who carries herself with the confident poise of a skilled warrior; a hulking minotaur who looks like he could break me over his leg; a kitsune who is idly shifting from foot to foot, and sizing me up as surely as I am her; a lizardman with a two-handed battleaxe resting across his shoulders; and another human, a woman who carries a longbow with padded arrows.

Reaching my new comrades, I turn and look over our competition. The other three teams - Azure Sword, Emerald Hammer, and Golden Shield - are arrayed a fair distance away from us, made up of a fairly even mix of species.

Something nudges my arm, and I turn to see the centaur extending a red scarf towards me. "Here," she says, and her voice is clear and strong. "'Tis a token you must wear, that we may tell friend from foe."

"Thanks," I say with a dip of my head, taking the scarf and tying it about my waist like a sash. Now I understand why all the team names contain a color; as I look around, I see everyone putting on scarves of their own, color-coordinated to match their team.

The centaur nods towards the woods, and says "Let us away. Once these scarved are donned, the others are our allies no longer."

~~o~~

We make camp in the woods, on the lee side of a small hill a good walk from the plain. We all pitch our tents in a circle, and the kitsune helps us gather branches, leaves and dirt to conceal them. I don't know how she does it, but when she's done they're barely visible from far away.

After we finish setting up, we all stand around the camp and make introductions.

The centaur speaks first. "My name is Centorea. As a Centaur, I can traverse open ground with haste, and I am at my strongest on the attack."

The minotaur shrugs. "I'm Aegeus. If I have to tell you what I'm good at, you need your eyes checked."

The kitsune half-bows. "Miyuki is my name. I'm good at sneaking, scouting and tracking. Nobody will see me, but you better believe I'll see them!"

"Natasha," the other human says, leaning against a tree. "I guess I'd say I'm a jack of all trades."

The lizardman is sitting on a log, tearing into what looks like a granola bar. "Katsutoshi," he says between bites. "But you can call me Katsu. I've never met someone I can't beat in a duel."

Then it's my turn. I'm a little nervous with all five pairs of eyes on me, but I straighten my back and do my best to project confidence. "My name's Sebastian," I say. "I'm best at defensive and reactive combat, and I know how to defend against more than one attacker at once."

I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew by saying that. My record is winning a one-on-three against other humans, but with all the advantages that extra-species had over me, just one of them might take all of my attention.

Centorea nods decisively. "Good. Aegeus, Sebastian and I will form the front line. Katsu, thy task is to seek out the strongest champions among the enemy and defeat them. Miyuki, I am entrusting thee with the duty of scouting. Go ahead of our position and locate the enemies. Natasha, thou shalt accompany her and protect her should she be spotted."

I'm impressed. Centorea has a good head for tactics. I unsling my shield and slip my arm through the straps, so that I can protect myself from surprise attacks if I have to. My sword stays sheathed for now, since I might need a free hand.

Centorea walks up and claps me on the shoulder. "Come! Let us survey the perimeter."

~~o~~

Our territory, we decided, would extend as far as the border of the trees, and a roughly equal distance through the forest on either side. There were three other teams somewhere within the forest, and Centorea wanted to know where. That was Miyuki's job. The three of us who patrolled the border were there to make sure no enemies slipped in and found our camp.

We kept within earshot of each other but stayed a distance apart, to cover more ground at once. Being away from the rest of the team made me feel vulnerable, however. It was not something I was used to feeling, and I relished the cold energy it provided.

My only warning is a rustle of branches. I spin on the ball of my foot, my sword flickering from its sheath, just as something large and red explodes from the trees. A club descends towards me like a meteor, and I duck out of the way, deflecting the blow with my shield at an angle. I lash out in a riposte, but my foe jumps back out of the way, and I finally get a good look at them.

Large, muscular, and definitely female, she has red skin and a pair of small horns protruding from her forehead. Oni, I believe the race is called. She's wearing a yellow scarf around her neck, marking her as from Golden Shield.

She grins at me, circling slowly like a wildcat. "What are you doing out here all alone, little human? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Speaking louder than I have to so that my voice carries to my teammates, I reply "I can handle myself. What's someone from Golden Shield doing at the border of our territory so soon?"

She replies by attacking again, launching herself towards me and swinging in a wide arc. I leap backwards and she presses the attack, surprisingly fast for her bulk and strength. I catch a blow dead center on my shield and the shock travels all the way up to my shoulder. She's forcing me to be entirely defensive, and I have no time to execute a counter-attack.

Suddenly, something even larger than the Oni crashes from the undergrowth like a runaway steam locomotive, and I catch a flash of silver as a sword descends, catching my surprised opponent square in the middle of her back. She pitches forward with a startled cry, and I have to dodge out of the way to avoid her running into me.

"Art thou alright?" Centorea asks, walking over and looking down at me.

"Yeah," I reply, shaking out my shield arm. "Thanks for the save."

The Oni grumbles a bit, but takes off her scarf and hands it to Centorea, who nods her thanks. The Oni stomps off, leaving the two of us standing in silence for a moment.

"Thou did well," Centorea says after a moment, and I look up in surprise. "That was the combatant ranked second in our group. To withstand her attacks is no trivial feat, especially for a human. I was only able to dispatch her so quickly because I took her by surprise."

I shrug, returning my sword to its sheath. "Still, you saved me. I might have been able to keep that up for a little while, but she would have found a gap in my defenses eventually. So, uh... thanks." This close, I can't help noticing that she's rather... well-endowed, as her rather significant bosom barely fits inside her shirt. Her long, flowing golden hair dances as she turns her head to look at me, and her blue eyes are like shimmering pools of clear water.

She blinks, and tilts her head to the side inquisitively. "Didst thou take a blow to the head?"

I shake myself back to reality, feeling my cheeks flush. Had I really been staring at her for that long? I stammer "Uh, no, thanks. I'm fine."

She frowns, but says nothing more. We continue our patrol together, and something about her walking beside me makes me feel perfectly safe... and I mean beyond what you'd expect from being accompanied by another skilled fighter. I feel like we could take on an entire enemy team right about now.

After a moment, I can't help but speak up. "So, Centorea, are you here on a homestay?"

She looks over at me. "Yes, I am. Why dost thou ask?"

I rub at the back of my head sheepishly. "Oh, just making conversation."

She smiles. "I am presently living at a home not too great a distance to the east of here. 'Twas merely a run of half an hour."

I raise my eyebrows. "Really? I live to the east too. Well, south-east, really."

Just at that moment, a familiar kitsune came dashing towards us from the woods. My hand flies to the hilt of my sword, but I can see nothing chasing her. "Miyuki!" Centorea barks. "What brings thou running in such a fashion!?"

Miyuki skids to a halt in front of us, breathing hard. "We found Emerald Hammer's camp, but then three of them ambushed us. Natasha got one of them, but then the other two got her and I ran."

Centorea snarls a curse. "Where is the camp?"

Miyuki points behind her. "Straight thataway. Not too far. It's in a small clearing."

"Thou did well," Centorea says, clapping the kitsune on the shoulder. "Art thou followed?"

Miyuki nods. "They were right behind me for a while. Dunno where they went."

Centorea turns, drawing her sword. "Sebastian! Aegeus! To me!" With a battle cry, she charges forward through the trees.

I take off after her, but she's going much faster than I possibly can. She can handle herself, probably even better than I can, but I don't know how she would fare in a two-on-one. All I can do is follow her and hope for the best.


	2. Attraction and Attrition

I suppose it could be worse. At least the trail that Centorea leaves is easy enough to follow.

I catch sight of her through the trees, and my heart leaps into my throat. She's engaged in combat with a lamia, slowly forcing the half-snake backwards. I scan the trees and see nothing, but don't allow myself to relax. Miyuki had said there were two of them coming this way, so where's the other one?

I draw my sword as I get close, still looking around. Centorea clearly has the advantage in her duel, but the lamia is holding her own for now. Suddenly, my eye catches on movement in the trees behind the battling pair, and I snarl a curse, putting on a burst of speed.

Three things happen almost simultaneously. Centorea becomes aware of the second threat, but can't risk turning away from her other opponent; the newcomer bursts from the trees, a Lizardman with a pair of swords, already swinging as he emerges from the brush; and I leap into the middle of things with a yell, interposing myself between Centorea's vulnerable flank and the lizardman attacker.

The twin swords crash against my shield, sending a jolt through my already-aching arm. I surge forward shield-first, shoving my opponent backwards and throwing him off-balance, but he recovers in time to deflect my sword thrust.

The lizardman shows off his pointed teeth in a wide grin, taking a step backwards and sizing me up. "Looks like Centorea made a new friend! Not a bad move, little human. Maybe if you-"

My sword stings him on the arm, causing him to flinch. With a grumble, he drops the sword he'd been holding in that arm - a hit on a limb means you temporarily lose the ability to use that limb - and drops into a defensive stance.

"Less talking, more fighting," I shoot back, slowly circling. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Centorea beginning to break through the lamia's defenses. I can tell it's only a matter of time before she wins that fight.

The lizardman goes on the offensive, and even with only one sword he's blindingly fast. Between my sword and shield I manage to keep him at bay and hold my ground, but he manages to dodge or parry all of my counter-strokes. I need to change something up.

I decide to take a risk. Shifting my weight to my front foot and pushing off hard, I surge forward with my shield in front of me and my shoulder behind it, impacting the lizardman like a battering ram. He staggers backwards and I go for broke, shoving his sword out of the way with my shield but exposing my chest to counterattack. My sword flashes out, catching him in the midriff before he can recover.

He shakes his head, taking a step back and untying his scarf. Handing the piece of colored cloth to me, he says "Not bad, human. I underestimated you. I look forward to our next sparring match."

I take the scarf with a respectful half-bow. "As do I," I reply, and he starts walking away. I look over just in time to see Centorea deliver the final blow, and a similar exchange happens between her and her opponent.

I sit down on a nearby rock to catch my breath, and go over the fights in my head. Centorea and I have taken out three enemies by working together. I'm beginning to think we make a good team.

I glance up at the sound of hooves approaching, and see Centorea sheathing her sword as she walks toward me. As she gets closer, I can't help but notice that she's gotten a little sweaty from all the running and fighting. Not that I haven't, as I am certainly beginning to feel hot and sticky, but on her... I can't stop my eyes from straying to her white shirt, the already-stressed cloth damp and semi-transparent in places. What's more, it's painfully obvious that she isn't wearing a bra.

I tear my gaze away, staring at the dirt between my feet and blushing. What the hell am I doing? Am I a hormonal teenager again? She is a comrade in arms, and we are still in danger. I can't be thinking those things.

She clears her throat, and I debate whether or not to risk looking up again. After a moment's pause, she says "Thank you."

I blink in surprise, and finally look up to meet her gaze. Her crystal blue eyes are shimmering with some emotion I can't quite read, and it could just be my imagination but I can almost see a touch of pink coloring her cheeks. Her tail swishes back and forth, and she says "Thou didst not need to endanger thyself in such a fashion to save me, but I am grateful that thou didst."

I smile, resting my sword across my lap. "I couldn't just let them gang up on you like that." I let myself relax in her presence, slipping my shield off of my arm and shaking out the kinks. Getting wailed on by people with superhuman strength can make you a bit sore. Looking up at Centorea, I add "That wasn't very honorable of them, anyway."

She scuffs at the ground with a hoof, looking away for a moment. "...Cerea." Her eyes meet mine. "You may call me Cerea." Then she closes her eyes, takes a breath, and just like that her composure is back. All-business, she looks around and asks "Where is Aegeus?"

I blink in surprise. In all the excitement, I had completely forgotten about our minotaur friend. Centorea... _Cerea_ had ordered him to come with us, but he's nowhere to be seen. "Could he have been ambushed?" I ask.

Cerea frowns. "Doubtful. We hath already encountered three enemies near our border, 'tis unlikely that there wouldst be more here with the purpose of attacking us. 'Tis most likely that he either caught wind of an enemy scout and went in pursuit, or he wandered too for away and did not notice my call to arms."

I shrug, picking up my weapons and getting to my feet. "Well, we're down one and have one missing. Should we head back to camp to rest up and check on the others?"

Cerea nods. "You give wise council. Let us return to our camp."

~~o~~

The rest of the day goes by without much excitement. Our enemies have been stung badly enough to be cautious, and with one down and Katsu still roaming around on his own, we're in no position to attack.

On the bright side, we did find Aegeus back at camp. Apparently he thought he'd seen an enemy in the woods and gone in pursuit, only to get lost and wind up back in our territory again.

Now it's late evening, and night is approaching fast. We made a campfire in the middle of the ring of tents, and are now sitting around it in a circle, eating a dinner consisting of whatever food we had packed. For me, that's a sandwich, a bag of trail mix, and a bottle of water.

We split up two and two, and Cerea and I take the first watch while Aegeus and Miyuki go to get some sleep. We kill the fire, to conceal our camp and preserve our night vision, and I take a seat on a flat rock near the edge of camp. Cerea walks over and settles down next to me, closer than is probably necessary.

After a moment, she asks "How didst thou learn to fight?"

Toying with the hilt of my sword, I reply "Mostly, a lot of practice. I've been doing it since I was a kid. I had a couple teachers along the way, but nowadays I'm better than most of them." Smiling sheepishly, I add "Sorry, that was a bit of bragging, wasn't it?"

I can barely see it in the dark, but she smiles at me. "'Tis not bragging if thou speak'st the truth. I would like to test myself against thee someday, if thou art willing."

"You'd probably win," I admit, leaning back and resting on my arms. "I'm good, but you're practically a force of nature."

She looks away. "Thou flatter'st me."

I grin. "Not at all. You took out that Oni lady with one hit!"

"'Twas merely because she was distracted by you!" she protests. "It was thou who survived her attacks, after all. Thou shouldst not underestimate thyself thus."

"Right back at you," I say, and she turns back to look at me. I find myself staring into her eyes, shimmering blue disks that I can just barely make out in the gloom. She has really pretty eyes, but I feel like telling her that would be dangerous.

Clearing my throat and looking down for a moment, I ask "How long have you been with this group?"

"'Twas almost three months ago that I joined," she replies. "I took part in other such games with fellow centaurs, but I had never matched blades with another race before."

A twinge of hunger makes itself known with a quiet growl, and I laugh sheepishly. "Guess that sandwich from earlier wasn't quite enough. I'm gonna go get myself a granola bar or something. Can you hold down the fort by yourself for a minute?"

She nods. "Certainly." Clasping her hands down between her front legs, she adds "If thou should'st want something that will hold thee over for longer... I could offer some vegetables from my pack instead."

"Thanks, Cerea, but you don't need to go to the trouble." I go to stand up, but my foot catches on a root and I lose my balance. I fall sideways with a startled cry, but I find myself stopped halfway to the ground by a pair of slender but strong arms. Blinking in surprise, I look up into the pair of baby blues looking back down at me with concern.

"Art thou alright?" Cerea asks.

This close, I can feel her body heat. She's surprisingly warm, and on a cool night like this, it feels... nice. I find myself subconsciously leaning into her, and straighten with a cough. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. Nice reflexes, by the way." She's also incredibly strong - she's supporting almost my entire body weight of two-hundred-odd pounds, and it doesn't even feel like she's working that hard to do it.

She helps me back to my feet, and I head into the camp, walking to my tent and crouching down to open my pack. After being so close to her, the air feels even colder by comparison. My skin is still tingling where it touched hers, so soft and smooth...

I shake myself, snatching up a granola bar and tearing the wrapper open with perhaps a little more force than absolutely necessary. Venting my emotions on the poor piece of food, I devour the whole thing in a few seconds, then take a swig from my water bottle and turn to look at Cerea. My eyes have adjusted to the night, but I can still only barely see her silhouetted against the trees. She's standing, looking out into the forest, one hand on the hilt of her sword. Her blonde hair, tied back in a ponytail and long enough to reach her horse half, shimmers in the wan moonlight.

I sigh and rub at the bridge of my nose. Looks like the enemy teams aren't going to be the only challenge facing me over the next couple days.

~~o~~

I awake the next morning to someone gently shaking my shoulder. "Sebastian," says a familiar, lovely voice. "'Tis morning, and high time we made ready for combat. The enemy might be approaching at this very moment!"

I blink open my eyes, and turn to see Cerea bending down through my open tent flap, her hand on my shoulder.

"At last!" she says, removing her hand and straightening. "Come! Let us face the day with drawn swords and heads held high!"

Crawling out from my sleeping bag, I tug on my clean pair of socks and stuff my feet into my boots. I had slept in my clothes, so it would take less time to get up. I run a hand through my neck-length hair in a vain attempt to impose some kind of order on it, then give it up as a bad job and exit the tent.

Breakfast consists of two more granola bars chased down with half a bottle of water. Without a toothbrush, I make do by popping a stick of gum into my mouth and idly chewing on it while I strap on my shield and stick my sword through my belt.

Aegeus lumbers up to me, and I suddenly feel small. The sheer bulk of the minotaur is ridiculous. I don't even want to think about what he probably bench-presses at the gym.

"So," he rumbles. "Centorea tells me you saved her when a second enemy caught her off-guard. Not bad for your first day as part of the group, human."

I quirk an eyebrow. "She told you about that?"

He nods. "That she did. Sounded pretty worked up about it, too... in a good way. Not too often that lady needs saving, and even less so when there's someone else there who's good enough to save her. I think you made an impression."

I glance over and see Cerea standing at the edge of camp, looking out into the woods as if watching for enemies. She looks over in my direction and I hastily look away, my face heating up. "I try my best," I say to Aegeus, affecting a confident smile.

He chuckles. "Keep it up."

"Gather 'round!" Cerea calls, and the four of us assemble in the middle of the camp. "Katsu is still gone," she says, pacing back and forth while she talks. "So we must then assume he is not coming back, although I know not who could have bested him. That leaves the four of us. From us alone, Emerald Hammer is down three, and Golden Shield is down one. We have had neither seen nor heard any members of Azure Sword, but we must assume they have been active as well."

I have to admit, I'm impressed by how commanding she can be sometimes. She seems completely different now from the shy, humble young woman I was keeping watch with last night.

"Should I go see what they're up to?" Miyuki asks, twirling a dagger. "I could find out just who's left alive and who's fighting whom."

Cerea frowns. "'Tis dangerous to go out alone, is it not? I know thee to be plenty skillful, but I want no repeat of what happened yesterday."

Miyuki huffed. "That only happened because Natasha wasn't sneaky enough! I would have been fine if I'd been on my own."

I raise a hand. "I could go with her. Keep a safe distance away to make sure I don't blow her cover, but be within earshot in case she's attacked."

"No!" Cerea barks, with force that surprises me. "I cannot allow thee to leave my side!" I blink in surprise, and she flushes, holding up her hands and amending "I-I mean... splitting up is dangerous! We are stronger when we fight as one! T-that's all I meant!"

Aegeus looks at her, looks at me, and shakes his head with a laugh. "I agree with Centorea," he says, crossing his arms. "We're down two members, and that makes us vulnerable. Miyuki might be better off on her own, but that just means the rest of us need to stick together even more."

Cerea scuffs at the ground with a hoof, looking away. "Y-yes, precisely!"

I shrug. "Okay, that works for me." If I'm being completely honest, I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me is very happy that I'll still be near the beautiful centaur, and she is an extremely skilled fighter so I'm certainly safer with her nearby, but her presence could prove... distracting, if last night was any indication.

"I guess I'll be going, then," Miyuki says, sticking her knife through her belt and bounding away. "I'll come back here when I've found something worth reporting!"

"Do we just wait for her?" I ask, watching as she disappears into the forest.

Cerea nods, having apparently recovered her composure. "When she returns, we shall plan our next move."


	3. The Last Night

Miyuki does not return. Minutes turn into hours, and the sun climbs higher in the sky. The three of us sit around the camp waiting, and the tension is palpable. After an hour or so, Cerea gets up and starts pacing, her tail swishing back and forth as she stares out through the trees.

Aegeus and I are sitting across from each other, and I catch his eye, tilting my head toward the woods. "Do you suppose they got her?" I ask quietly.

He grunts. "I don't like to sound negative, but it never takes her this long to scout, so... probably."

Cerea stomps angrily, causing both of us to look over at her. "I should not have dispatched her alone! 'Tis my fault that we are now reduced to three!"

I get to my feet. "Honestly, I don't know if you could have stopped her," I say, walking over to stand next to her. "She seemed pretty determined to go it alone, after what happened with her and Natasha. She was probably so wound up about getting found before, she got sloppy and made a mistake. It's not your fault."

Cerea sighs, and my helpless eyes are drawn to her ample bosom as it swells with her breath. "Thank thee for thy kind words, Sebastian," she says, and I tear my eyes away, meeting hers and trying to keep the blush off my face. She smiles a little, then after a moment frowns again and adds "I fear that we may face grim odds now, however."

"Hey, this just makes us even with Emerald Hammer," I say, resting my hand on the hilt of my sword and trying to seem more confident than I feel. "Besides, what glory would there be in this without a little challenge?"

She looks at me for a long moment, her eyes swimming with emotion and a smile spreading across her features, then her cheeks flush pink and she turns away. "T-thou speak'st true, of course," she says, without looking at me. "It gladdens my heart to know I have such a stalwart companion as thee."

Aegeus chuckles from behind me, and I turn to see him get up and walk over to us. "I agree with our little friend," he rumbles. "I could not be satisfied with a victory unless it was one worthy of immortalizing in song."

Cerea takes a step closer to me. "Fighting side-by-side, we shall carve our names into the annals of battle, and - whether we achieve victory or suffer defeat - I will be proud to have fought beside you!"

I think she might be taking this a little far, but I can't deny that her getting this fired up over it is kind of infectious. I feel like it's the night before Thermopylae, or Agincourt, and we're preparing to make a heroic stand against incredible odds.

And then, when the last warrior has fallen, the last shield broken, and the tattered banners are fluttering in the hot wind like specters above the battlefield, Cerea and I would be overcome in our moment of triumph and fall into each other's arms, and-

I shake myself. What the hell am I thinking? Now is no time to be getting that carried away. Besides which, I just met her today. I don't want to botch my chances of integrating into the group by making unwanted advances on a member that I just met.

And, I remind myself, it is just a game. Even if it's easy to forget that with the way Cerea talks about it.

Suddenly, my body tenses as if on its own, my instincts screaming a warning, my hand flying to the hilt of my sword. Movement flashes just at the edge of my vision and I turn to face it, my shield coming up on reflex and my back food sliding out to brace.

A padded arrow strikes the shield and bounces off, and Cerea draws her own sword, yelling "Enemies!"

I scan the trees, looking for my attacker. An archer is a problem. I'm the only one here with a shield, and my two companions are large enough that they can't really hide behind trees for cover. Cerea's fast enough that she could probably knock an arrow out of the air with her sword, but Aegeus is more about power than speed so he's in the most danger. We need to get to this archer and take them down.

I see the archer when they stand up to fire again. It's another centaur, smaller and more lithe than Cerea. She has an arrow nocked and is drawing it back, and I push off with my braced back foot, surging forward through the trees. I see the archer's eyes flick to me, then to my companions, judging distance, speed and relative threats. Making a decision, she turns and fires an arrow to my left. That's where Aegeus was.

I can't turn to see if it hit. A distraction like that would probably be fatal. Leaping over a fallen log, no more than ten yards from the archer, I watch in disbelief as she turns and makes to flee. There's no way I can keep up with a centaur for long - Cerea already proved that point to me.

I hear the thunder of hooves from behind me, and Cerea storms past with a battle-cry on her lips. The enemy centaur hasn't had time to pick up speed, so Cerea catches up to her quickly and cuts her down with a well-placed strike between her shoulderblades. The scarf is handed off, and I turn to scour the trees for more targets.

This time I see the threat before it's about to take my head off. It's the third human; I recognize him from the group huddle at the beginning of all this. He's heading towards Cerea, and it doesn't look like he's seen me yet. His scarf is blue, the same color as the other centaur's, so they likely came out here together, and now he's looking for revenge.

I only take a split-second to remark on the irony of a human and a centaur going up against a human and a centaur before I take off at a sprint. There are two ways to take advantage of someone who hasn't noticed you yet; stealth and speed. You either get up close to them before they know you're there, or you close the distance as fast as you can and hope that they don't recover from their surprise fast enough. And I'm not very good at stealth.

My long legs eat up the ground that separates us, and he turns to look as I draw near, his eyes widening as he realizes just how much trouble he's in. Now it's a two-on-one. He casts a glance in Cerea's direction, backing away and holding his weapons - a sword and a dagger - at the ready.

I don't know if my equine companion has even seen him yet, and I don't waste the time and attention necessary to check. Crossing the last few yards in a few quick bounds, I come in swinging, trying to throw him off-balance. He parries my first strike with his sword, and the dirk thrusts low, aiming for my gut.

I block it on my shield and we separate for a moment, circling each other. He's fast, and knows how to duel. But from the way he's moving, I can tell he doesn't quite have his footwork down.

I feint high, and he falls for it. Raising my shield to distract him and dropping into a crouch, I swing my sword around low, catching him in the shin. Losing his balance, he wobbles for a moment, losing focus on his weapons as he tries not to fall over, and I come up fast, the edge of my sword pressed against his throat.

He drops his weapons, and raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Well played," I say, reaching out for his scarf. He takes it off and drops it in my hand, giving me a nod before retrieving his weapons and walking away.

I sheath my sword and lean against a tree, breathing hard. The thudding of hooves on dirt behind me informs me of Cerea's approach, and without turning I ask "Did Aegeus get hit?"

Cerea sighs. "Sadly, yes. He took the arrow in his chest. 'Tis only we two now."

I reach up, running my free hand through my hair and blowing out my breath. "Well, we wanted a challenge, right?" I finally turn to look at her, and she looks away. I frown in concern. "Hey, are you okay?"

She nods hastily. "Y-yes, my thanks." Almost to herself, so quietly I can barely hear it, she adds "I merely worry that with us two alone..." she trails off.

I should probably just leave it, since she clearly didn't want me to hear that, but I've never been that sensible. "With us two alone... what?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and taking a step forward.

Her face turns beet-red. "W-we would... be more vulnerable to attack!" she stammers, taking a step away and shaking her head. "T-that is all!"

I get the feeling that's not all, but even I can take a hint when it's thrown directly at my face. Pausing to think for a moment, I say "Well then, let's move camp. Leave everyone else's stuff where it is, since they'll want to come back for it after the event, but let's move our tents and bags somewhere different, so the enemy can't find us as easily."

~~o~~

We set up our tents farther up in the hills, on the far side of a thicket of brambles. Harder to get to, concealed from sight, and more defensible since now they can only come at us from three sides instead of four, unless they want to trudge through thornbushes.

The two of us still keep constant watch. We barely talk, our ears strained for the slightest sound. I nearly have a heart attack thanks to a squirrel, thinking the flash of movement and rummaging sounds were an enemy coming up the hill towards us. The only time one of us leaves our post is to take care of 'personal business' behind a nearby bush.

The afternoon drags on and turns to evening, and we reluctantly take our attention away from watching to have a bite of dinner. I apparently didn't pack enough, as all I have left is half a bag of trail mix. Cerea comes to the rescue, however, providing me with a small selection of vegetables from her pack. I try telling her to save the food for herself, but she is very insistent, and I'm finding it very hard to say no to her.

After dinner, we go back to watching the forest. We sit facing away from each other, close enough that I could reach out and touch her. Not that I would, since her rump is facing me and if I touched that I would probably end up on the ground with a concussion and a hoofprint on my forehead.

As we sit and the sun slowly begins to sink behind the trees, she suddenly asks "Sebastian... if thou dost not mind me asking... what dost thou do, other than this?"

I blink in surprise, and twist around to look at her. "You mean, like... my job?"

She nods, her long ponytail bouncing. "Yes, thy job."

I turn back to the woods. "I'm afraid it's not nearly as exciting. I work retail. I spend my weekday afternoons working a cash register and talking to customers at a local sports supply store. It's funny, because I went to art school and got a degree, but through a combination of lack of opportunity and lack of motivation, that never turned into a job and I had to settle for something a little more mundane." I don't know why I'm going into this much detail. It's probably not what she bargained for, but something about her makes me feel more comfortable than I have in a long time, and I can't really stop myself. "It pays the bills, but it's pretty mind-numbing. This is my escape. Something I really enjoy, something I'm really good at."

At last, I find the willpower to shut my mouth. I'm about to apologize for rambling, but she beats me to it. "There is no shame in menial work," she says, and I blink in surprise. "Some of the greatest centaur knights began their lives tending farms."

We talk for a while, about anything and nothing at all. She tells me about growing up in centaur lands, learning how to fight, wanting to be a hero like the ones she heard about in the legends her parents told her. About her decision to come stay with us humans, and when she first met the person she's currently staying with.

I don't even notice how late it's getting until I blink and realize I can barely see. It must be cloudy, since there's barely any moonlight reaching the ground. "Wow," I say, looking around with a chuckle, "Is it this late already?"

"Were we truly speaking for that long?" Cerea asks. "A-apologies! Thou should have stopped me from babbling in such a fashion!"

I turn to look at her, even though I can barely make her out in the gloom. "I barely noticed either. It's just as much my fault as it is yours. Besides," I look down and lick my lips nervously before finishing in a quieter voice "I wasn't complaining. I like talking to you."

"I-" she begins, then stops, clears her throat, and tries again. "I find it... quite agreeable as well."

There's a moment of silence, then I ask "Should we make a fire?"

"It would draw our enemies like a beacon," Cerea replies. "But it would be undoubtedly useful if we are attacked. Tomorrow is the final day of this, and we are down to a mere two warriors anyway... it is not likely we will last. I say we make our stand here and now."

We work together to gather branches from the woods, as well as leaves and twigs for kindling. She takes matches from her bag, and after a few minutes of arranging branches and striking matches, we have a nice little campfire going. She sidles over and sits next to me, and I glance over at her in surprise. She's looking into the fire with some unreadable expression, and says nothing. "Cerea?" I ask, turning to face her. "Is everything okay?"

She takes a deep breath, then turns, takes a hold of my face with one hand, and before I can muster the breath to ask what she's doing she kisses me and all thought is gone from my head. For a long moment the only things I'm aware of are her fingers on my cheek, and how soft and warm her lips are against mine. My own hand strays up unconsciously, resting on the soft, warm flesh of her neck.

When we all too soon come up for air, we're both breathing hard. Her face is flushed, her eyes liquid with emotion, her mouth half-open. I lick my lips, and she looks like she's about to give it another go when something snaps in the woods outside the circle of firelight.

We break apart faster than teenagers caught red-handed by their parents, and I dive for my weapons with a string of curses. My mind is still fogged, and I'm stuck somewhere between disappointment, frustration, and relief.

I leap to my feet at roughly the same time Cerea does. She still looks flustered and the blush hasn't left her face, but she's holding her sword at the ready. Nothing is visible outside the light of the fire, and for a long moment everything is still. My heart is beating so loudly, I'm sure that whoever's out there can hear it.

Then they appear from the darkness. Two, four, then six of them in a half-circle around us. I see two different colors of scarves, and anger flares up inside me. What is this? Two teams formed an alliance to come after us? Is that even legal?

I recognize the lizardman who had been acting as co-ordinator earlier as he steps forward ahead of his comrades. "Centorea," he says, nodding towards her, then turns to me. "Sebastian. Emerald Hammer is gone. The remnants of Azure Sword and Golden Shield have formed an alliance, against which you cannot hope to win. We are prepared to accept your surrender and end this game."

I back towards Cerea, and she mirrors the motion. I can imagine without looking at her the expression on her face - determination, anger, stubbornness. "I leave this up to my team captain," I say, then smirk. "But I have a feeling I know what her answer is going to be."

Cerea stomps the ground, her tail lashing. Raising her sword, she snarls two words; " _Molon labe_."

Greek. A good choice.

The lizardman gives a simple motion of his hand, and the assembled warriors charge as one. All conscious thought is relegated to the deepest corner of my brain as instinct takes over completely, sword and shield working in tandem to block, parry, and strike. We're hopelessly outnumbered, and I know we're going to lose, but I can't go down without giving a good accounting of myself first.

I manage to bring two of the bastards down with me. One of them I got across the chest, the other with a thrust to the stomach. But I left myself open with the last attack, and took a blow to the side. Cerea fared mostly the same behind me, leaving our attackers with only their commander and one other warrior left. Not bad, for a three-on-one.

As I untie the scarf around my waist and hand it to the warrior who finally bested me, I hear the lizardman commander's voice from behind me. "So, Centorea, what exactly did I see happening as we approached the camp?"

I stiffen and feel my face heat up. He had seen that?

Cerea huffs. "Thou dishonored thyself by forming an alliance with an enemy team. Thou hast no right to know."

I let myself relax, feeling my lips twist into a smirk. That woman just keeps making me like her more and more.

As the enemy team starts to leave, I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to see Cerea standing behind me, looking down. "Thou art a skilled combatant, and... there is another event like this, in a month's time. Wouldst thou be averse to... meeting me and engaging in practice bouts together, that we may both hone our skills?"

I smile, slipping my sword through the hoop on my belt. "I'd like that."

She looks up and meets my eyes with a hopeful look. "Truly? Art... art thou free in three days' time?"


	4. An Unplanned Confession

**Hello, my lovely readers. My apologies that this chapter was a little while in coming. I had an... interesting week. I will spare you the details, but it made putting out writing a bit difficult. But it's here now, and I hope you enjoy it! A big thank-you to everyone who's taken the time to leave reviews, and I look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter!**

 **~~o~~**

I meet Cerea at a local inter-species gym every few days, and we spar together. After a week or so, we start seeing each other more frequently, and for things besides practice fighting. Sometimes we go out for dinner after our bouts, sometimes we add a movie to the mix, sometimes we just take a walk through the local park and talk; about life, about what we've been doing, about our pasts. When we spar, we're pretty evenly matched. She has me beat in strength and offense, but I'm faster and better at defense.

Whatever we're doing, I can't deny that I just enjoy spending time with her. Just being around her makes me feel safe. Hearing her voice calms me down if I'm having a bad day. The look in her eyes when she sees me makes my heart go all light and fuzzy. I decided the night after the tournament not to take things any farther than friendship unless she did first, since I don't want to drive her away or make it harder to integrate with the group. But it's not easy. I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to kiss her again. Those few seconds play over and over in my head when I lie in bed at night trying to sleep, and when we walk together I find myself straying closer and closer to her.

Then one day, a week before the next tournament, we both attend an event held by the LARPing group: a combination social gathering and planning session for the tournament. It's being held in an outdoor picnic area, complete with tables and benches.

As I walk up to the assembled LARPers, the smell of pizza hits my nose. I look around for the source, and see a stack of boxes from a local pizzeria on one of the tables, next to a large salad bowl for the centaurs. Nobody's eating yet, so I guess we're going to get a little planning out of the way first.

"Sebastian!" The voice is Cerea's. I glance over and see her beckoning to me. As I get closer, she adds "I saved a seat for you."

And she did. Centaurs can't really sit on benches, so she and the others have settled on the ground by the heads of the tables. There's an empty spot at the end of one of the benches next to her, and I sit down with a head nod and cordial greeting to the person sitting next to me.

A couple people arrive after me, and as the last one arrives, the lizardman co-ordinator - whose name I still don't know - stands up and addresses the group. "Good afternoon, everyone, and thanks for coming! I know we're all eager to get to the food that's over there, so I'll keep this short and sweet. There have been some questions pertaining to the rules over the past couple weeks, and I want to get all that sorted out before the tournament next week. Everyone is welcome to stay and discuss them, but if you need to you can also feel free to leave after we've eaten. Okay, that's all. Dig in, everyone!"

The group all gets up and files over to the table with food on it. After a bit of waiting in line, I get a paper plate and put a few slices of pizza on it, then head back to my seat to eat. Cerea has a bowl of salad, and we strike up a conversation as we eat, which continues after the food is gone. I find myself leaning closer to her, and my heart skips a beat when she puts a hand on my thigh.

I don't even know if she meant to do it, because she freezes and glances down. Her cheeks flush pink and she stops talking, but doesn't move her hand. When she looks back up, our eyes meet, and her lips part ever-so-slightly. I can see my own thoughts reflected in her eyes, and my stomach is suddenly full of butterflies.

The voice of Aegeus snaps me from my trance. "Oh, for the love of-... one of you just ask the other one out already, damn it!"

Silence falls over the gathering. Cerea's blush is bright crimson, and my own face is burning so much that I'm sure we match. She slowly gets to her feet, straightens out her skirt, turns with her head held high and walks out into the park.

I glare at Aegeus. He shrugs, and rumbles "Well, somebody had to say it. You two have been acting like a pair of lovestruck kids ever since the tournament, but you're both too damn shy to do anything about it. You'll thank me later." Shaking my head, I get up from the table and start after Cerea at a half-jog.

By the time I catch up with her, we're well out of earshot of the rest of the group. She hears my approach, and turns to look, then quickly looks away. "T-thou should'st go back," she says, in a controlled voice. "It is best that I am alone with my shame."

I smile slightly. "Our shame, you mean."

She turns to look with a surprised expression. "What do you mean?"

I look at my shoes for a moment. "You think you're the only one who's been acting that way? The only one who... wants those things?" I chuckle nervously, scuffing a foot on the ground. "Well... you're not. I haven't said anything because I wasn't sure you felt the same way, and... I was worried it might make things awkward in the group. But now Aegeus has gone and spilled the beans, so I might as well say it." I take a deep breath in preparation for a heartfelt confession, but a gentle hand on my chin stops me.

Cerea tilts my head up to look at her, and her eyes are swimming. She has the biggest smile on her face, and her blush is starting to come back. Her voice is trembling, but she manages to say "I have been rehearsing this since the tournament, thou wilt not steal this moment from me."

I blink. "Rehearsing?"

She closes her eyes, takes a moment to breathe, then opens them again and meets my gaze. "Sebastian," she says, quietly. "I was... attracted to thee at the tournament. Thou were skillful, brave, and courteous. Afterward, I was ashamed at my inability to control myself that night. But when we started spending more time together... that feeling truly blossomed. I was always too nervous, too ashamed, to tell thee, but... now that the choice has been removed from my hands, I must ask thee - and I hope I do not get this human phrase wrong - will thou go out with me?"

I take her hand in mine, and the flush of pink in her cheeks deepens. I feel the skin of her palm smooth and warm beneath my fingers, and I look into her eyes as I say "Yes, of course I will. I was just about to ask you that, anyway." She leans down, her eyes half-closing, and I stand on my toes to reach her.

This time, the kiss is slow, soft, gentle. There are no enemies to interrupt us, so we stay like that for a long moment. I wrap my arms around her waist, and she trails her fingers through my hair.

We part slowly, and she leans her forehead against mine, her hair tickling my cheeks. "I did not expect it to go that well," she says quietly. "I am... pleasantly surprised."

This close, her eyes are like pools of crystal-clear water. I pull her closer, and suddenly become aware of the two large, soft orbs pressing into my chest. My face heats up, and she puts a hand on my cheek. "Should we rejoin the others?" she asks.

I shrug. "They won't miss us for a couple minutes yet."

~~o~~

When we finally do walk back to the picnic area, it's hand-in-hand and I'm pretty sure we're wearing matching blushes. Many heads turn to look at us as we approach, and Aegeus barks a laugh. "Took you two long enough," he says. "Have a nice talk?"

I pointedly do not look at him. I simply sit where I had been before, and Cerea settles down on the ground next to me. We covertly hold hands under the table, and she smiles shyly over at me.

The coordinator clears his throat. "Right. So, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about the rules. I'm going to assume everyone who is still here wants to be a part of this discussion. So, the biggest question that came up after last month's tournament was, understandably, whether or not two teams forming an alliance is legal."

I frown, remembering our last stand against the allied teams... led by none other than this guy who was talking right now. I wonder if he would let it be ruled illegal. "So," he adds, clasping his hands together and looking around. "Any thoughts?"

Aegeus raises a hand. "Yeah, I got one. Maybe for the next tournament we should just get it out of the way at the start, and only have two teams."

The coordinator nods. "Not a bad idea. We can certainly discuss it. Anyone else?"

The discussion drags on for a few minutes, with people going back and forth, before finally it is decided that alliances between teams will be illegal from here on out. Apparently that had been a grey area in the rules that this same coordinator had taken advantage of. At least I know that he won't be able to do it again this time.

A few more minor rules issues are brought up and discussed, and then the coordinator declares the meeting to be over and we all get up and get ready to go our separate ways. Cerea and I are still holding hands, and she gives mine a little nervous squeeze, looking down for a moment. "Would... would it be too hasty of me to ask if I could stay the night at thy house?" she asks, then flushes and hurriedly backtracks. "N-not that I seek to do anything improper! I... realize how it may sound, but I merely wish for thy company tonight." She looks at the ground, and I can't help but smile.

I rest my other hand on top of hers, and she looks back up. "Yes, you can come spend the night at my place," I reply. "It might be a bit early by most people's standards, but this has been so long in coming that I don't mind. I'd love to have you see my place. We can have dinner, watch a movie, make a party out of it."

 _And_ , a little voice in the back of my head added, _I'll be able to fall asleep cuddled up next to her instead of just imagining it._

She smiles, still blushing, and kisses the top of my head. "Just allow me to go back to my home to pick up some of my things first. Where dost thou live?"

I write the address and apartment number on an old receipt that I happen to have in my pocket, and give her rough directions. She assures me that she'll be able to find the place, and with one last kiss we regretfully part ways.

As I walk back to my car, I'm full of nervousness and giddy excitement in equal measure. Cerea would be coming over to my place in a few hours, and staying the night. I surreptitiously pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.

Nope, wide awake. Try as I might, I can't keep the spring out of my step as I cross the parking lot.

~~o~~

When I get home, I set about tidying the place up. As - up until now - I had been living the bachelor life, my apartment was in a bit of a state. There were dirty dishes in the sink, empty soda cans on the table, my bed was a mess, there was a dirty shirt lying on the floor... stuff like that. It would not do at all to have Cerea see my apartment like this.

In half an hour, I have the whole place looking much neater. Stepping back and surveying my work, I allow myself a moment of satisfaction before checking the time. It's about quarter to four, making it around an hour since the LARPing event ended. So she should be arriving any time now.

The next ten minutes seem to drag on forever, but it might just be because my heart is racing. I pace back and forth across my living room, checking the clock every thirty seconds or so. I nearly jump when I hear the tentative knock at my door. Running over, then pausing to smooth out my shirt and take a deep breath, I grab the door's handle and pull it open.

Cerea is standing outside, a duffel bag slung across one shoulder. Her face lights up when she sees me, and she says "Sebastian! 'Tis good to see you. I was worried I would knock on the wrong door."

I can't keep the smile off my face. "It's good to see you too, Cerea. Would you like to come inside?"

"Yes, of course!" She scuffs a hoof on the ground. "But first... t-there is something I would like to ask of thee."

I blink. "What would that be?"

She looks away and mumbles something under her breath that I can't quite make out. "What was that?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow.

She blushes, and clears her throat before repeating in a small - but slightly louder - voice "K-kiss me?"

I take her hand, and her blush deepens. "You don't even need to ask." I reach up, brushing a lock of her blonde hair out of her face, and stretch up to reach her. She leans down and meets me halfway, and I close my eyes as our lips melt together. She wraps her arms around my back to pull me closer, and I rest my hands on her sides, feeling her body heat through her shirt.

As we slowly part, she smiles shyly and asks "So... show me thy room?"


End file.
